Snap switch



0- R. F. SAMBLESON El AL 2,188,780

SNAP SWITCH Filed Oct. :50, 1937 Fig. 2..

I r 1 ,3 O G'l? Z6 40 Z I i J Fig.4

Inventors: Robert F. Sambleson, Geovge 1Q. B1 wn,

Then" Attorney.

Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SNAP swrrcn Application October 30, 1937, Serial No. 171,947

7 6 Claims.

This invention relates to snap switches of the type having a slider insertable between contact blades for opening and closing the switch.

It is an object of the-invention to provide an improved construction and arrangement in switches of this type wherein the slider is used to extinguish the are formed between the con-' tact blades upon their separation.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the switch; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switch with parts broken away to show the interior of the switch; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the switch showing the contact.

blades in open position; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is another crosssectional view through the device showing the contacts in closed position, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 68 of Fig. 5.

The figures illustrate a snap switch having a housing III which may be formed of molded composition, or the like. While the invention has been. illustrated as applied to a double pole switch, it is not limited thereto but may obviously be incorporated into a switch having a single pole or a switch having more than two poles. The housing is provided with side walls I l and I2 and end abutment members l3 and I4 extending to the same level as the side walls, the abutment members and side walls engaging the under surface of a mounting strap IS. The mounting strap is secured to the housing by screws l6, one being placed at each end of the housing within the openings H, the heads of the screws being sheltered in recesses l8 adjacent the openings l1.

Upon each side of the abutment ii are placed the upper contact members l9 which are fastened securely to the base by the rigid plate 20 which is clamped between the mounting strap and the housing with the blades inserted between the plate and the housing, as best shown by Fig. 6. As the screw I6 is tightened the plate 20 is compressed by the mounting strap to secure the blades to the base of the housing. The plate 20 is formed with an extension 2| which fits into a recess 22 formed in the housing and engages the walls thereof to prevent lateral displacement of the plate. In order to connect the conducting lead lines to the switch, the contact blades are provided with terminal screws 23. Similarly. the lower contact blades 24 are disposed upon each side of the abutment l4 and are clamped to the base by a plate 25 disposed between the housing and the mounting strap. The plate 25 is identical in form to the plate 20 and is seated in a recess (not shown) in the housing in the same manner as plate 20, so that lateral movement of plate 25 is prevented. The blades 24 are provided with terminal screws 26. The plates 20 and 25 may be formed from insulating sheet fiber, or the like.

The blade members I9 overlie the blades 24 and are separated therefrom by insulating sliders 21 which may be punched from sheet fiber, or the like. The sliders rest upon and are guided by the blades 24 and carry shorting contacts 28 which are adapted to co-act with the contact faces 29 and 30 formed on the blade members i9 and 24, respectively. Recesses 3| and 32 are pressed into'the blades l9 and 24 respectively, and are placed immediately adjacent the cont'act'faces 29 and 30 so that the faces and recesses give the blades a substantially S-shaped formation as illustratedby Figs. 3 and 5. When the sliders are positioned to the left, as shown by Fig. 5, the switch is in closed" position and the shorting contacts 28 are positioned between the contact faces 29 and 30, so that current from the upper blades flows through the contacts to the lower blades. By moving the sliders to the right, as shown by Fig. 3, the switch is placed in .open position and the contacts 28 are displaced from between the blades and occupy the space in the recesses 3| formed in the upper blades. y In this position the insulating portions of the sliders 21 are retained between the contact faces 29 and 30 and effectively insulate them from each other.

As the circuit is broken by removal of the shorting contacts from between the contact faces, there will be a tendency for arcing to take place but any are so formed will be extinguished immediately by interposition of the insulated portion'of the sliders. As the sliders move back and forth between the contact faces, they wipe the faces and keep them clean.

With the construction just described the shorting contacts are placed at the same point on each slider so that the two circuits through the switch are opened and closed simultaneously. However, it may be desired to open one circuit, as the other is closed. In such cases the shorting contacts are displaced from each other along the sliders, as illustrated by Fig. 2, so that one of the contacts is disposed between the contact faces while the other is positioned in the re-'- cess 3|. With the construction shown by Fig. 2, if the sliders are moved to the left, the upper shorting contact will be inserted between the blades to close a circuit while the lower shorting contact will be retracted from between the contact faces and disposed in the recess 32 therebyopening the circuit.

In order to operate the sliders a carrier member 33 is inserted in the housing between the sliders and makes pivotal point contact in a recess 34 formed in the bottom of the housing. The carrier member may be formed from sheet metal and is substantially U-shaped with upstanding arms 35 engaging slots 36. cut from the sliders 21. The center portion of the carrier is provided with an upstanding abutment 33a adapted to be positioned within the lower coil of a spring 31 to secure the spring to the carrier. The other end of the spring is held within a notch 38 formed at the lower end of an actuating arm 39 provided with a handle 40. The arm and handle are pivoted to the mounting strap by a pin 4| supported in depending lugs 42 struck from the mounting strap I5. In this manner the coiled spring 31 is compressed between the actuating arm and carrier member and transmits movements of the switch handle to the carrier member and sliders.

The spring is effective to snap the sliders to and fro as the handle is oscillated from on to ofi position and the snap action of the spring causes the sliders to make and break circuit positively and quickly. Any arc formed between the contacts is quickly and effectively extinguished by the insulated portions of the sliders which are maintained between the contact blades at all times.

What we claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A snap switch comprising a housing, a supporting strap for said housing, an operating handle mounted on said strap and depending into said housing, opposed contact blades mounted in said housing, a carrier member pivotally supported on the bottom of said housing below said contact blades, a spring interconnecting said carrier and said handle, and a slider element having an insulating portion and a contact portion disposed between said blades above said carrier member and being operatively connected to said carrier member whereby said slider element is moved by operation of said handle.

2. A snap switch comprising a housing, a supporting strap for said housing, an operating handle mounted on said strap and depending into said housing, a carrier member pivotally supported on the bottom of said housing, a spring interconnecting said carrier and said handle, opposed contact blades mounted in said housing, and a slider element of insulating material disposed upon and carried by one of said blades and being movable between said blades, said carrier member meshing with; said slider whereby said slider element may be moved between said blades upon operation of said handle.

3. In combination, a housing, a recess in the bottom of said housing, a carrier member pivotally mounted in said recess, opposed switch blades secured in said housing above said recess and carrier member, a slider having an insulating portion and a shorting portion, said slider being connected to said carrier and interposed between .said blades, and actuating means including a handle and spring connected to said carrier for operating said slider with a snap motion.

4. In combination, a housing, a carrier member pivoted at the bottom of said housing, opposed pairs of spring contacts mounted on said housing above the bottom thereof, sliders disposed between the springs of each pair,'each slider having an insulating portion and a shorting portion, said carrier member having opposed arms each arm being operatively connected to a corresponding slider, a spring connected to said carrier member between said arms and an operating handle connected to said spring and adapted to move said sliders under.the snap action of said spring and carrier member to position either to said spring for operating said slider with .a

snap action.

6. In an electric switch, a housingof insulating material, opposed contact blades mounted in said housing, a carrier member pivotally supported on the bottom of said housing below said contact means, a slider cooperating with said contact means for controlling a circuit therethrough and being connected to said carrier member, a spring connected to said carrier member at. a-point lie-'- low said contact means, and an operating means pivotally mounted on said housing and connected to said spring for operating said slider with a snap motion.

. ROBERT F. SAMBLESON.

GEORGE R. BROWN. 

